Uncovering digital habits among teens in 'Africa’s Silicon Valley'

Mary* (16) and Portia* (17) live in Kawangware - a low-income
neighbourhood in Nairobi, Kenya. Neither are currently attending
school – Portia is helping her family by looking after her older
sister’s baby while Mary is studying to become a hairdresser to
supplement her family’s income.

Nevertheless, both have their own mobile phones and consider them
to be prized possessions. They both started using Facebook about
seven months ago, and when asked, consider themselves to be
‘experts’ on how to use the social network.

“When I’m stressed out I play games on my phone, they help me
stay awake or not to focus on what I am stressing about. Like
when I do not have money to buy something that I need I keep my
mind off by playing a phone game. I feel smart. When am able to
score a lot of points I feel very excited,” says Portia.

Mary disagrees: “When you’re playing games on your phone you
can’t do anything else, I prefer to listen to the radio.”

Portia and Mary’s experiences provide a brief snapshot of some of
the findings on digital access, knowledge and practices that have
emerged from a UNICEF study launched today. Entitled A
(Private) Public Space, the study explores how Kenya’s
rapidly transforming digital landscape is impacting on the rights
of children in the country.

The title of the study was inspired by one of the strongest
sentiments that was shared by participants – that digital tools
provide them with one of the few opportunities to create and
explore their own identifies, free from the influence or
interference of family members.

For the most of them the device enabling this is a simple mobile
phone with Internet-access, or a computer in cyber-café. These
young people are part of the rapidly growing population of
‘connected’ Kenyans: mobile penetration in the country is at over
75 per cent, and while Internet penetration was a more modest 28
per cent in mid-2012, it represents a major leap from just a few
years earlier.

“Since I did not have an email address, a cybercafé technician
first helped me to open my email account and then Facebook
account, but I entered the password by myself. He also showed me
how to hide my date of birth, so when people ask me how old I am
I can tell them what I want,” says Portia.

Growing internet access: understanding the opportunity and
risk

Kenya is one of several countries around the world where UNICEF
is taking a closer look at the opportunities and risks that
access to digital technology presents for young people. In 2010
UNICEF’s Social and Civic Media section launched the Voices of
Youth Citizens initiative which promotes the use of digital
media and technologies to advance the rights of children in
developing countries, while at the same time advocating measures
to minimise the risks that they can pose.

And evidence of risks is apparent when the participants are asked
about their negative online experiences; but they are also quick
to point out some of the strategies they use to deal with some of
the unpleasant occurrences.

“There was this guy, he wasn’t my friend online – I had not
accepted his friend request – but he kept sending me these
messages…like all suggestive stuff…and I really didn’t like it.
So I blocked him,” says Portia.

“I block people who post nonsense a lot. I mean you can tell them
not to send you things but if they don’t listen you just block
them,” says Mary.

The UNICEF study in Kenya also supports some of the findings from
international studies, which show that children and adolescents
perceive the risk-level of certain online activities differently
to their parents – especially when it comes to interacting with
people who they have established connections with solely via
online means.

“When I use the internet I get to meet friends who encourage me,
we share experiences and when I am feeling down I can talk to
them and get advice. And not just people you have already met,
even those you have never physically met,” says Portia.

The study also points to a disconnect between parents and their
children when it comes to Internet-use – especially social media.
Many participants reported that their parents and caregivers had
a low level of digital literacy; and this knowledge gap was even
greater for those living in poorer urban neighborhoods or rural
areas. Lying about, or concealing their use of social networks
was commonly reported, and parents, caregivers and teachers were
rarely mentioned as sources of support in cases of online
bullying or harassment.

A more nuanced understanding of digital habits

Based on focus group discussions with 130 young people aged
between 12 and 17, the report moves beyond establishing the
latest figures and rates for usage, and instead focuses on
understanding some of the behavior and motivations that drive the
use of digital media, factoring in the age, gender, geography and
the socio-economic circumstances of participants.

The findings of the study – while not representative of all
adolescents in Kenya – are important for guiding the work of
UNICEF and other organisations in designing and developing
strategies, policies and campaigns to ensure that children and
young people are able to reap the full benefits of access to the
Internet, social media and the ever growing number of digital
innovations.

The study was commissioned by UNICEF, and conducted byIntermediabetween December 2012 and
May 2013, with the objective of understanding how young
people, aged 12-17, in Kenya are using social media and digital
technologies, and what risks and opportunities this presents for
the protection and advancement of their rights. A technical
committee composed of UNICEF's Social and Civic Media Section,
Kenya Country Office, Office of Research and Programme Division,
and Intermedia oversaw the research process. Valuable support and
technical oversight was provided by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at
Harvard University.

Access Voices of Youth Citizens studies and materials from
other countries here.